Member of Parliament for Effutu, Mr Allexander Afenyo-Markin, has called on government and other well meaning Ghanaians to come to the aid of fisher-folks in the Effutu Constituency following a torrential rainstorm that swept away their canoes.

He said about 20,000 households in the area largely depended on fishing and in recent times had been experiencing heavy rains with destruction, but none of the promises from government to assist the victims had been fulfilled.

Mr Afenyo-Markin, who said this in a statement read on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, therefore, appealed to government and other stakeholders to consider it a matter of urgency to come to the aid of the people.

He said the rainstorm that hit Winneba and its environs in the early hours of Sunday, May 19, 2013, was worse as it brought in its wake the destruction of 50 canoes and some onboard motors.

Mr Afenyo-Markin said there was the need for some measures to be taken to minimize the calamities as the rains had started again.

“I, therefore, urge the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to mobilize the various insurance companies to come out with an insurance policy that will suit the fisher folks across the country so that in the event of such incidents they will be compensated to enable them reorganize their activities”, he noted.

He said most of the victims were the bread winners of their families and needed assistance to enable them continue to provide for their households.

He added that government should put in place measures to solve the issue of the diversion of premix fuel once and for all since the problem had persisted for far too long.

He reminded government to quicken its decision on the development and construction of landing beach sites along coastal communities in the country since the construction would provide a decent environment for the work of the fisher folks.

It will also provide anchorage for the canoes and make them safe from such rainstorms in future.